STACY f & m EnglishEither a diminutive of
ANASTASIA, or else from a surname that was derived from
Stace, a medieval form of
EUSTACE. As a feminine name, it came into general use during the 1950s, though it had earlier been in use as a rare masculine name.
STAFFORD m EnglishFrom a surname that was from a place name meaning
"landing-place ford" in Old English.
STANFORD m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"stone ford" in Old English.
STANLEY m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"stone clearing" in Old English. A notable bearer of the surname was the British-American explorer and journalist Sir Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904), the man who found David Livingstone in Africa. As a given name, it was borne by American director Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999), as well as the character Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams' play
A Streetcar Named Desire (1947).
STAR f EnglishFrom the English word for the celestial body, ultimately from Old English
steorra.
STELLA (1) f English, Italian, Dutch, GermanMeans
"star" in Latin. This name was created by the 16th-century poet Sir Philip Sidney for the subject of his collection of sonnets
Astrophel and Stella. It was a nickname of a lover of Jonathan Swift, real name Esther Johnson (1681-1728), though it was not commonly used as a given name until the 19th century. It appears in Tennessee Williams' play
A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), belonging to the sister of Blanche DuBois and the wife of Stanley Kowalski.
STEPHEN m English, BiblicalFrom the Greek name
Στέφανος (Stephanos) meaning
"crown, wreath", more precisely
"that which surrounds". Saint Stephen was a deacon who was stoned to death, as told in Acts in the New Testament. He is regarded as the first Christian martyr. Due to him, the name became common in the Christian world. It was popularized in England by the Normans.
... [more] STERLING m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from city of Stirling, which is itself of unknown meaning. The name can also be given in reference to the English word
sterling meaning "excellent". In this case, the word derives from sterling silver, which was so named because of the emblem that some Norman coins bore, from Old English meaning "little star".
STEVE m EnglishShort form of
STEVEN. A notable bearer was American technology entrepreneur Steve Jobs (1955-2011).
STEVEN m English, DutchMedieval English variant of
STEPHEN, and a Dutch variant of
STEFAN. The filmmaker Steven Spielberg (1946-), director of
E.T. and
Indiana Jones, is a famous bearer of this name.
STUART m English, ScottishFrom an occupational surname originally belonging to a person who was a steward. It is ultimately derived from Old English
stig "house" and
weard "guard". As a given name, it arose in 19th-century Scotland in honour of the Stuart royal family, which produced several kings and queens of Scotland and Britain between the 14th and 18th centuries.
SUELLEN f EnglishContraction of
SUSAN and
ELLEN (1). Margaret Mitchell used this name in her novel
Gone with the Wind (1936), where it belongs to Scarlett's sister.
SULLIVAN m EnglishFrom an Irish surname that was derived from
Ó Súileabháin meaning
"descendant of Súileabhán". The name
Súileabhán means "little dark eye" in Irish.
SUMMER f EnglishFrom the name of the season, ultimately from Old English
sumor. It has been in use as a given name since the 1970s.
SUNDAY f EnglishFrom the name of the day of the week, which ultimately derives from Old English
sunnandæg, which was composed of the elements
sunne "sun" and
dæg "day".
SUNNY f & m EnglishFrom the English word meaning
"sunny, cheerful".
SUNSHINE f EnglishFrom the English word, ultimately from Old English
sunne "sun" and
scinan "shine".
SUSAN f EnglishEnglish variant of
SUSANNA. This has been most common spelling since the 18th century. It was especially popular both in the United States and the United Kingdom from the 1940s to the 1960s. A notable bearer was the American feminist Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906).
SUSANNA f Italian, Catalan, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Dutch, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Church SlavicFrom
Σουσάννα (Sousanna), the Greek form of the Hebrew name
שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (Shoshannah). This was derived from the Hebrew word
שׁוֹשָׁן (shoshan) meaning
"lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means
"rose"), perhaps ultimately from Egyptian
sšn "lotus". In the Old Testament Apocrypha this is the name of a woman falsely accused of adultery. The prophet
Daniel clears her name by tricking her accusers, who end up being condemned themselves. It also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a woman who ministers to
Jesus.
... [more] SYBIL f EnglishVariant of
SIBYL. This spelling variation has existed since the Middle Ages.
SYDNEY f & m EnglishFrom a surname that was a variant of the surname
SIDNEY. This is the name of the largest city in Australia, which was named for Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney in 1788. Since the 1990s this name has been mainly feminine.
SYLVAN m EnglishEither a variant of
SILVANUS or directly from the Latin word
silva meaning
"wood, forest".
TABITHA f English, Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"gazelle" in Aramaic. Tabitha in the New Testament was a woman restored to life by Saint
Peter. Her name is translated into Greek as
Dorcas (see
Acts 9:36). As an English name,
Tabitha became common after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 1960s by the television show
Bewitched, in which Tabitha (sometimes spelled Tabatha) is the daughter of the main character.
TACEY f English (Archaic)Derived from Latin
tace meaning
"be silent". It was in use from the 16th century, though it died out two centuries later.
TALBOT m English (Rare)From a surname that was perhaps derived from a Germanic given name composed of the elements
tal "to destroy" and
bod "message".
TALLULAH f English (Rare)Popularly claimed to mean "leaping waters" in the Choctaw language, it may actually mean "town" in the Creek language. This is the name of waterfalls in Georgia. It was borne by American actress Tallulah Bankhead (1902-1968), who was named after her grandmother, who may have been named after the waterfalls.
TALON m English (Modern)From the English word meaning
"talon, claw", ultimately derived (via Norman French) from Latin
talus "anklebone".
TAMARA f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Hungarian, English, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Lithuanian, GeorgianRussian form of
TAMAR. Russian performers such as Tamara Karsavina (1885-1978), Tamara Drasin (1905-1943), Tamara Geva (1907-1997) and Tamara Toumanova (1919-1996) introduced it to the English-speaking world. It was also borne by the Polish cubist painter Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980).
TAMIA f English (Modern)Elaborated form of the popular name syllable
Tam, from names such as
TAMARA or
TAMIKA. It was popularized by Canadian singer Tamia Hill (1975-), who is known simply as Tamia.
TAMIKA f EnglishVariant of
TAMIKO, inspired by the American jazz singer Tamiko Jones (1945-) or the American movie
A Girl Named Tamiko (1963).
TANNER m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"one who tans hides".
TANSY f English (Rare)From the name of the flower, which is derived via Old French from Late Latin
tanacita.
TARA (1) f EnglishAnglicized form of the Irish place name
Teamhair, which possibly means
"elevated place" in Gaelic. This was the name of the sacred hill near Dublin where the Irish high kings resided. It was popularized as a given name by the novel
Gone with the Wind (1936) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1939), in which it is the name of the O'Hara plantation.
TARYN f EnglishProbably a feminine form of
TYRONE. Actors Tyrone Power and Linda Christian created it for their daughter Taryn Power (1953-).
TATE m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name
Tata, of unknown origin.
TATIANA f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Polish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Greek, Georgian, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ancient RomanFeminine form of the Roman name
Tatianus, a derivative of the Roman name
TATIUS. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint who was martyred in Rome under the emperor Alexander Severus. She was especially venerated in Orthodox Christianity, and the name has been common in Russia (as
Татьяна) and Eastern Europe. It was not regularly used in the English-speaking world until the 1980s.
TATTON m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"Tata's town" in Old English.
TATUM f English (Modern)From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"Tata's homestead" in Old English.
TAWNY f English (Modern)From the English word, ultimately deriving from Old French
tané, which means
"light brown".
TAYLOR m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that originally denoted someone who was a tailor, from Norman French
tailleur, ultimately from Latin
taliare "to cut". Its modern use as a feminine name may have been influenced by the British-American author Taylor Caldwell (1900-1985).
TEAGAN m & f English (Modern)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Tadhgáin meaning
"descendant of Tadhgán". The given name
Tadhgán is a diminutive of
TADHG.
TEAL f English (Rare)From the English word for the type of duck or the greenish-blue colour.
TED m EnglishShort form of
EDWARD or
THEODORE. A famous bearer was the American baseball player Ted Williams (1918-2002), who was born as Theodore.
TEMPERANCE f English (Archaic)From the English word meaning
"moderation" or
"restraint". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
TEMPEST f English (Rare)From the English word meaning
"storm". It appears in the title of William Shakespeare's play
The Tempest (1611).
TEMPLE m & f English (Rare)From a surname that originally belonged to a person who was associated with the Knights Templar, a medieval religious military order.
TENNYSON m English (Rare)From an English surname that meant
"son of Tenney",
Tenney being a medieval form of
DENIS. A notable bearer of the surname was British poet Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892).
TERENCE m EnglishFrom the Roman family name
Terentius, which is of unknown meaning. Famous bearers include Publius Terentius Afer, a Roman playwright, and Marcus Terentius Varro, a Roman scholar. It was also borne by several early saints. The name was used in Ireland as an Anglicized form of
TOIRDHEALBHACH, but it was not in use as an English name until the late 19th century.
TERESA f Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Catalan, Polish, Finnish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, EnglishForm of
THERESA used in several languages. Saint Teresa of Ávila was a 16th-century Spanish nun who reformed the Carmelite monasteries and wrote several spiritual books. It was also borne by the Albanian missionary Saint Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), better known as Mother Teresa, who worked with the poor in India. She adopted the name in honour of the French saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who is the patron of missionaries.
TERRA f EnglishVariant of
TARA (1), perhaps influenced by the Latin word
terra meaning "land, earth".
TERRELL m EnglishFrom an English surname that was probably derived from the Norman French nickname
tirel "to pull", referring to a stubborn person. It may sometimes be given in honour of civil rights activist Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954).
TERRY (1) m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the medieval name
Thierry, a Norman French form of
THEODORIC.
TERRY (2) m & f EnglishDiminutive of
TERENCE or
THERESA. A famous bearer was Terry Fox (1958-1981), a young man with an artificial leg who attempted to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He died of the disease before crossing the country.
TESS f English, DutchDiminutive of
THERESA. This is the name of the main character in Thomas Hardy's novel
Tess of the D'Ubervilles (1891).
TEX m EnglishFrom a nickname denoting a person who came from the state of Texas. A famous bearer was the American animator Tex Avery (1908-1980), real name Frederick, who was born in Texas.
THADDEUS m English, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom
Θαδδαῖος (Thaddaios), the Greek form of the Aramaic name
Thaddai. It is possibly derived from a word meaning
"heart", but it may in fact be an Aramaic form of a Greek name such as
Θεόδωρος (see
THEODORE). In the Gospel of Matthew, Thaddaeus is listed as one of the twelve apostles, though elsewhere in the New Testament his name is omitted and
Jude's appears instead. It is likely that the two names refer to the same person.
THANE m English (Rare)From the Scottish and English noble title, which was originally from Old English
thegn.
THANKFUL f English (Archaic)From the English word
thankful. This was one of the many virtue names used by the Puritans in the 17th century.
THATCHER m English (Modern)From an English surname that referred to a person who thatched roofs by attaching straw to them, derived from Old English
þæc "thatch". The surname was borne by British prime minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013).
THELMA f EnglishMeaning unknown. It was a rare name when British author Marie Corelli used it for the Norwegian heroine of her novel
Thelma (1887). The name became popular around the end of the 19th century after the novel was published. It is sometimes claimed to derive from Greek
θέλημα (thelema) meaning "will", though this seems unlikely.
THEOBALD m English (Rare), Ancient GermanicMeans
"bold people", derived from the Germanic elements
theud "people" and
bald "bold". The Normans brought the name to England, where it joined an existing Old English cognate. The medieval forms
Tibald and
Tebald were commonly Latinized as
Theobaldus. It was rare by the 20th century.
THEODORA f English, Greek, Ancient GreekFeminine form of
THEODORE. This name was common in the Byzantine Empire, being borne by several empresses including the influential wife of Justinian in the 6th century.
THEODORE m EnglishFrom the Greek name
Θεόδωρος (Theodoros), which meant
"gift of god" from Greek
θεός (theos) meaning "god" and
δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". The name
Dorothea is derived from the same roots in reverse order. This was the name of several saints, including Theodore of Amasea, a 4th-century Greek soldier; Theodore of Tarsus, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury; and Theodore the Studite, a 9th-century Byzantine monk. It was also borne by two popes.
... [more] THERESA f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishFrom the Spanish and Portuguese name
Teresa. It was first recorded as
Therasia, being borne by the Spanish wife of Saint Paulinus of Nola in the 4th century. The meaning is uncertain, but it could be derived from Greek
θέρος (theros) meaning
"summer", from Greek
θερίζω (therizo) meaning
"to harvest", or from the name of the Greek island of Therasia (the western island of Santorini).
... [more] THOMAS m English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekGreek form of the Aramaic name
תָּאוֹמָא (Ta'oma') meaning
"twin". In the New Testament this is the name of an apostle. When he heard that
Jesus had risen from the dead he initially doubted the story, until Jesus appeared before him and he examined his wounds himself. According to tradition he was martyred in India. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world.
... [more] THORLEY m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"thorn clearing" in Old English.
THORNTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"thorn town" in Old English.
TIA f EnglishShort form of names ending with
tia. It has been suggested that its use since the 1950s is the result of the brand name for the coffee liqueur Tia Maria. In the brand name,
Tia is not a given name; rather, it means "aunt" in Spanish or Portuguese.
TIFFANY f EnglishMedieval form of
THEOPHANIA. This name was traditionally given to girls born on the Epiphany (January 6), the festival commemorating the visit of the Magi to the infant
Jesus. The name died out after the Middle Ages, but it was revived by the movie
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), the title of which refers to the Tiffany's jewelry store in New York.
TIGER m English (Rare)From the name of the large striped cat, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek
τίγρις (tigris), ultimately of Iranian origin. A famous bearer is American golfer Tiger Woods (1975-).
TIMOTHY m English, BiblicalEnglish form of the Greek name
Τιμόθεος (Timotheos) meaning
"honouring God", derived from
τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour" and
θεός (theos) meaning "god". Saint Timothy was a companion of
Paul on his missionary journeys and was the recipient of two of Paul's epistles that appear in the New Testament. He was of both Jewish and Greek ancestry. According to tradition, he was martyred at Ephesus after protesting the worship of
Artemis. As an English name,
Timothy was not used until after the Protestant Reformation.
TITTY f EnglishDiminutive of
LETITIA. This is now a slang word for the female breast, and the name has subsequently dropped out of common use.
TITUS m Ancient Roman, English, Biblical, Biblical LatinRoman praenomen, or given name, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to Latin
titulus "title of honour". It is more likely of Oscan origin, since it was borne by the legendary Sabine king Titus Tatius.
... [more] TOBIAS m Biblical, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekGreek form of
TOBIAH. This is the name of the hero of the apocryphal Book of Tobit, which appears in many English versions of the Old Testament. It relates how
Tobit's son Tobias, with the help of the angel
Raphael, is able to drive away a demon who has plagued Sarah, who subsequently becomes his wife. This story was popular in the Middle Ages, and the name came into occasional use in parts of Europe at that time. In England it became common after the Protestant Reformation.
TOBIN m EnglishFrom an English surname that was itself derived from the given name
TOBIAS.
TOBY m & f EnglishMedieval form of
TOBIAS. It was sometimes used as a feminine name in the 1930s and 40s due to the influence of American actress Toby Wing (1915-2001).
TODD m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"fox", derived from Middle English
todde.
TOM (1) m English, Dutch, German, Norwegian, Danish, SwedishShort form of
THOMAS. Tom Sawyer was the main character in several of Mark Twain's novels, first appearing in
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876). Other famous bearers include American actors Tom Hanks (1956-) and Tom Cruise (1962-).
TOPAZ f English (Rare)From the English word for the yellow precious stone, the birthstone of November, ultimately derived from Greek
τόπαζος (topazos).
TOPSY f English (Rare)From a nickname that is of unknown meaning, perhaps deriving from the English word
top. This is the name of a young slave in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel
Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852).
TRACY f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was taken from a Norman French place name meaning
"domain belonging to THRACIUS". Charles Dickens used it for a male character in his novel
The Pickwick Papers (1837). It was later popularized as a feminine name by the main character Tracy Lord in the movie
The Philadelphia Story (1940). This name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of
THERESA.
TRAFFORD m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"fish-trap ford" in Old English.
TRAVIS m EnglishFrom the English surname
Travis (a variant of
TRAVERS). It was used in America in honour of William Travis (1809-1836), the commander of the Texan forces at the Battle of the Alamo.
TRENT m EnglishFrom a surname that originally denoted someone who lived by the River
Trent in England.
Trent is also a city in Italy, though the etymology is unrelated.
TRENTON m EnglishFrom the name of a New Jersey city established in the 17th century by William Trent. It means "
TRENT's town".
TREVELYAN m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a Cornish place name meaning
"homestead on the hill".
TREVOR m Welsh, EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"big village" from Welsh
tref "village" and
mawr "large".
TREY m EnglishFrom an English nickname meaning
"three".
TRINITY f EnglishFrom the English word
Trinity, given in honour of the Christian belief that God has one essence, but three distinct expressions of being: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It has only been in use as a given name since the 20th century.
TRISTAN m Welsh, English, French, Arthurian RomanceOld French form of the Pictish name
Drustan, a diminutive of
DRUST. The spelling was altered by association with Latin
tristis "sad". Tristan is a character in medieval French tales, probably inspired by older Celtic legends, and ultimately merged into Arthurian legend. According to the story Tristan was sent to Ireland in order to fetch
Isolde, who was to be the bride of King Mark of Cornwall. On the way back, Tristan and Isolde accidentally drink a potion that makes them fall in love. Their tragic story was very popular in the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since that time.
TROY m EnglishOriginally from a surname that denoted a person from the city of Troyes in France. It is now more likely used in reference to the ancient city of Troy that was besieged by the Greeks in
Homer's
Iliad. The city's name, from Greek
Τροία (Troia), is said to derive from its mythical founder
Τρώς (Tros), but is more likely of Luwian or Hittite origin. This name was popularized in the 1960s by the actor Troy Donahue (1936-2001), who took his stage name from that of the ancient city.
TRUMAN m EnglishFrom a surname that meant
"trusty man" in Middle English. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). It was also borne by American writer Truman Capote (1924-1984).
TUCKER m English (Modern)From an occupational surname for a cloth fuller, derived from Old English
tucian meaning "offend, torment". A fuller was a person who cleaned and thickened raw cloth by pounding it.
TWILA f EnglishMeaning unknown. Perhaps based on the English word
twilight, or maybe from a Cajun pronunciation of French
étoile "star". It came into use as an American given name in the late 19th century.
TYE m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"pasture" in Middle English.
TYLER m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"tiler of roofs", derived from Old English
tigele "tile". The surname was borne by American president John Tyler (1790-1862).
TYRONE m EnglishFrom the name of a county in Northern Ireland, which is derived from Irish Gaelic
Tir Eoghain meaning "land of
EOGHAN". This name was popularized by American actor Tyrone Power (1914-1958), who was named after his great-grandfather, an Irish actor.
TYSON m EnglishFrom an English surname that could be derived from a nickname for a quarrelsome person, from Old French
tison meaning
"firebrand". Alternatively, it could be a variant of
DYSON. A famous bearer of the surname was boxer Mike Tyson (1966-).
ULRIC m English (Rare)Middle English form of the Old English name
Wulfric meaning
"wolf ruler". When it is used in modern times, it is usually as a variant of
ULRICH.
ULYSSES m Roman Mythology, EnglishLatin form of
ODYSSEUS. It was borne by Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War, who went on to become an American president. Irish author James Joyce used it as the title of his book
Ulysses (1920), which loosely parallels
Homer's epic the
Odyssey.
UNITY f English (Rare)From the English word
unity, which is ultimately derived from Latin
unitas.
UPTON m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"upper town" in Old English. A famous bearer of this name was the American novelist Upton Sinclair (1878-1968).
URSULA f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Late RomanMeans
"little bear", derived from a diminutive form of the Latin word
ursa "she-bear". Saint Ursula was a legendary virgin princess of the 4th century who was martyred by the Huns while returning from a pilgrimage. In England the saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and the name came into general use at that time.
VALENTINE (1) m EnglishFrom the Roman cognomen
Valentinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen
Valens meaning
"strong, vigorous, healthy" in Latin. Saint Valentine was a 3rd-century martyr. His feast day was the same as the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, which resulted in the association between Valentine's day and love. As an English name, it has been used occasionally since the 12th century.
VANCE m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Old English
fenn meaning
"marsh, fen".
VANESSA f English, Italian, Portuguese, German, DutchInvented by author Jonathan Swift for his 1726 poem
Cadenus and Vanessa. He arrived at it by rearranging the initial syllables of the first name and surname of
Esther Vanhomrigh, his close friend. Vanessa was later used as the name of a genus of butterfly. It was a rare given name until the mid-20th century, at which point it became fairly popular.
VAUGHN m Welsh, EnglishFrom a Welsh surname that was derived from Welsh
bychan meaning
"little".
VELDA f EnglishMeaning unknown, possibly a derivative of the Germanic element
wald meaning
"power, rule".
VELMA f EnglishProbably a variant of
WILMA, the spelling with an
e perhaps due to the influence of
SELMA (1). This name has been in use since the 19th century.
VELVET f EnglishFrom the English word for the soft fabric. It became used as a given name after the main character in Enid Bagnold's book
National Velvet (1935) and the movie (1944) and television (1960) adaptations.
VENETIA f English (Rare), GreekOriginally this was probably a Latinized form of
GWYNEDD or
GWYNETH. It also coincides with the Latin name of the city of
Venice in Italy. This name was borne by the celebrated beauty Venetia Stanley (1600-1633). Benjamin Disraeli used it in his novel entitled
Venetia (1837).
... [more] VERA (1) f Russian, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian, Romanian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Belarusian, GeorgianMeans
"faith" in Russian, though it is sometimes associated with the Latin word
verus "true". It has been in general use in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.
VERE m EnglishFrom a Norman surname, which was from a French place name, which was itself derived from a Gaulish word meaning
"alder".
VERITY f EnglishFrom the English word meaning
"verity, truth". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
VERNA f EnglishFeminine form of
VERNON, sometimes associated with the Latin word
vernus "spring". It has been in use since the 19th century.
VERNON m EnglishFrom a Norman surname, which was from a French place name, ultimately derived from the Gaulish word
vern meaning
"alder".
VERONICA f English, Italian, Romanian, Late RomanLatin alteration of
BERENICE, the spelling influenced by the ecclesiastical Latin phrase
vera icon meaning
"true image". This was the name of a legendary saint who wiped
Jesus' face with a towel and then found his image imprinted upon it. Due to popular stories about her, the name was occasionally used in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. It was borne by the 17th-century Italian saint and mystic Veronica Giuliani. As an English name, it was not common until the 19th century, when it was imported from France and Scotland.
VICTOR m English, French, Portuguese, Romanian, Dutch, Swedish, Late RomanRoman name meaning
"victor, conqueror" in Latin. It was common among early Christians, and was borne by several early saints and three popes. It was rare as an English name during the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the French writer Victor Hugo (1802-1885), who authored
The Hunchback of Notre Dame and
Les Misérables.